Noise software

hey, what are some good free noise software programs. i've never really been one for post proseesing but now that im starting to sell my photos i need to start this. thanks

Have you done a search on this forum? These programs are discussed frequently.

Jordan,

Ignore Damo77, he obviously hasn't read our rules:

4. (The "don't be a jerk" language)...

If you know an answer to a question either answer it or say nothing. Giving newbies blunt answers like "search the forum" is not allowed - please use the typing effort to giving the answer instead. Or just give the link to that post you wished the newbie should have searched for. Respect newbies - you were a newbie once.

As to your question there are three big programs on the noise reduction front. NoiseWare, Noise Ninja, and Neat Image.

My personal preference has been NoiseWare. The Community (free) edition can be found HERE. I will admit that I have never used Noise Ninja, and it has been a long time since I used Neat Image. The reason for liking NoiseWare over N.I. is speed. At the time, NoiseWare was substantially faster, taking only 8 to 10 seconds verses one or two minutes for processing. At the time, Noise Ninja was described by those who used it as a being about the same speed as Neat Image, which is why I never tried it. They may have sped up in subsequent versions (perhaps someone else will answer with info on the "state of the art" for them.)

The free version of NoiseWare is NOT a Photoshop plug in, rather a stand alone application. I believe this is true for N.N. and N.I. as well. Technically, by saving a jpg, removing the noise and re-saving it, you could be introducing artifacts, but I have never seen any evidence of that. The only remaining drawback of a stand alone program is the need to take the shot out of Photoshop. 'Tis a bit of a hassle. I recommend the Standard edition. Fifty bucks - what's that these days anyways? Pizza and beer for two, right? So splurge.

Rad

Whoa! That's a bit harsh. I don't think it's irrelevant to ask if a search had been performed.

Damo77 wrote in post #5297712
Whoa! That's a bit harsh. I don't think it's irrelevant to ask if a search had been performed.

I agree being how the OP has under 100 posts.
He/She may not be familiar with the handy dandy search.

Now if the poster had 500+ posts then thats another story.

Then again some people do search and can not find the info.
I've been there. Im sure we all have.

Apologies if I offended anyone.

Jordan, I think noise is less of a problem than any of us think.

Because we stare at photos all day, we notice every little flaw and imperfection in our images. But the paying public don't worry about things like noise anywhere near as much as we do!!

I've rarely found it necessary to remove noise from photos, even very high ISO ones. I just take special care not to exaggerate the noise when I sharpen. Kind of like "don't poke a sleeping tiger" or words to that effect.

I use Neat Image. It has worked really well for all my sports pics.

I use the community version of Noiseware and is loving it!

I tend to like Noiseware more than NeatImage for some reason that I can't explain (I have tried both).

I made a trip to Antelope Canyon a couple years ago and loved the tour given by the Navajo guide. Unfortunately, we missed the small window of opportunity for prime sunlight at high noon so all my shots were noisey. I was able to salvage almost all the shots using Noiseware and love the results. For a free software program you can't go wrong.

I use Noiseware and lately I apply it after sharpening, as the last step. It does a good job in preserving details.

I started with the free (called Community) edition, but if I remember well it wouldn't read or save in TIFF. (I was following the rule that NR should be done first, at that time). Whether it was for that or some other deficiency, I eventually bought the regular standalone version. I do not need to use it very often, so doing the noise reduction outside my editor is not such a drawback to me and the price is considerably lower than the plugin version.

I use Noiseware. Works well.

A quick note....
If you make sure you do not underexpose at high ISO you will assure that you have as little noise as possible.

I just downloaded noiseware and tried it on an air show photo - WOW! what a difference it makes. Highly recommended on first impression.

I use Noiseware Pro but I do it before sharpening.
Sharpening is the last thing I do to an image..if you sharpen first then all your other adjustments or things you do can ruin the sharpness and make it soft again.